Child ruins every picture!

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

We recently took a big family vacation to the World. We had the Memory Maker package and so took a number of group photos. Our 12 year old grandaughter ruined every single one by mugging for the camera. Nothing anyone said would stop her. Parents of 12 year old daughters - what do you think? I didn't make a big issue of this at the time, but we just got the pictures back and it's really irritating to realize we don't have one decent picture.

 

[Sabeking]

We recently took a big family vacation to the World. We had the Memory Maker package and so took a number of group photos. Our 12 year old grandaughter ruined every single one by mugging for the camera. Nothing anyone said would stop her. Parents of 12 year old daughters - what do you think? I didn't make an issue of this at the time, but we just got the pictures back and it's really irritating to realize we don't have one decent picture.

What does " mugging for the camera" mean?

 

[lizabu]

My daughter made a sour face in every picture from our trip 2 years ago. When I made my photo book those were the pics I had so I used them. In 10 years she's going to wonder why she did that

 

[BigAlsGal]

We recently took a big family vacation to the World. We had the Memory Maker package and so took a number of group photos. Our 12 year old grandaughter ruined every single one by mugging for the camera. Nothing anyone said would stop her. Parents of 12 year old daughters - what do you think? I didn't make a big issue of this at the time, but we just got the pictures back and it's really irritating to realize we don't have one decent picture.

Just proudly display it the rest of her life. Paybacks.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Maybe her face actually did freeze like that.

 

[jevs]

I don't know what 'mugging' means in this context.

 

[BillSears]

I don't know what 'mugging' means in this context.

I would guess everyone else smiling and looking at the camera. She probably stuck out her tongue, made "funny" faces, put her fingers above someone's head, and other things like that. Things that she thinks are just funny but others think ruins the picture.

Personally I HATE when someone does that.

 

[jevs]

Ah ok.

Keep them for her 21st.

Alternatively, wait until she gets married then pull the same stunt in the wedding pictures.

 

[kimblebee]

i hope you never tell her you think she ruined your pictures. What a harsh thing to say about your own granddaughter...

 

[King Schultz]

Put her up for adoption- good pictures are more important than a beloved family member.

 

[barkley]

it's a 'memory maker' package-the reality is that this is the way your granddaughter is at this age.

twice in the last few years I've had to collect a few photos of my kids for power point graduation slide shows (their high school does them as part of the ceremony)-and the ones that truly captured memories of them at particular ages were the ones that were not staged. same occurred when dh and I were married 25 years ago-the photos we gravitated towards (and received the most positive/sentimental feedback from guests) were the less than perfect photos.

Personally I HATE when someone does that.

I do as well but I have to wonder how many photos were taken. I know that within a couple of days at the world we are running from any staff member with a camera b/c we want our memories of the trip to be enjoying it vs. staging photos of us looking like we are enjoying it.

 

[EMom]

I wouldn't have let Snowflake go that far. After one or two stunts like that, when she'd been politely asked to stop making faces, she'd have been told to stop. In front of everyone. As long as necessary to get the point across. Let her mug for her cell phone, or that of her parents. It's not appropriate for a Memory Maker package and it was rude to continue doing so after be asked to stop. Her parents should have made her stop. Unless she is seriously special needs, it's not that hard. Red Foreman could have done it easily.

 

[Poohforyou]

Her parents tried to get her to stop and couldn't? Perhaps not a good preview of things to come. I have a 16 year old and she has always had a kind of silly/goofy side but she has also always known (with guidance) when enough was enough and she needed to stop.

Seems to me some needs to work on reigning her in. At 12 not being able to control that behavior is unacceptable.

Has she seen the pictures? If she thinks they're funny I wouldn't put them out. It's encouraging that behavior. If she's remorseful I'd put one out and explain that while it isn't her best picture it's a reminder of a happy time.

 

[Aliceacc]

I would think, that, after you realized what was going on, someone would have had a little chat along these lines;

"Katie, we want a nice family picture to frame. We would love for you to be in it. But that's not going to happen if you keep making those faces. So we're going to take 3 of each pictures: one with you OUT of it, one with a nice face, and one with any face you want. You can keep the funny one; we'll see which of the other 2 we prefer."

Now, of course, it's too late.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm sorry but I love things like that. Pictures are to capture memories! That's her personality at this point in her life. Embrace it. I know it's annoying but you'll laugh about it in a few years.

Two years ago for Christmas I got all of "The Littles" (as we call them) in DH's family to have a photo taken at Sears for his grandmother(so it's a photo full of her great-grandchildren). It was 14 kids ranging in age from a few months old to 10. We didn't get ONE perfect picture. My daughter "ruined" the best one by giving her brother the evil side eye while everyone else was actually looking at the camera. I was so angry but that was the best one so that's the one she got. It's one of the biggest family jokes now.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yeah--It is nice to have a pic of everyone looking the same, smiling fake smiles for the camera. But the ones that people bring out time and again, the ones with the best memories, are the ones that are a little imperfect. In a few years you will wish you had that little girl back.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Overall OP, I think you did the right thing to not make a big deal out of it at the time---your granddaughter shouldn't be rewarded with lots of attention for the behaviour.

That said--I am not sure why you didn't take photos without her so you'd have some nice photos as well. How about photos of just you and your spouse? Or you and your grown kids, etc? And maybe take some of everyone making silly faces (those are actually kind of fun memories too). And, yes, it would be good if someone could force her to behave and look nice for a few larger family photos--but

I can also see not pushing the issue so much that the trip was ruined by clashes between adults and this child. The experience is more important than the photos, right? And she wasn't being mean or otherwise misbehaving, just not wanting her photos taken (or at least not a nice one)--which was rude but hardly the worst of sins.

I'm sorry you are not happy with the pictures; I hope in a few years this is just a funny memory for you.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm confused. Did you not realize she did this until you got home? I think it's really odd if someone had a chat with her and explained what you wanted her to do and she still refused.

What was the response to this by the parents? Did they find it amusing? I hope not.

 

[okeydokey]

The fact that you say that nothing anyone said could stop her is key here. It means she was asked to not try to ruin the pictures but she kept doing it anyway. And those pics are very expensive.

We're her parents with you in the trip?

 

[Hikergirl]

I'm sorry but I love things like that. Pictures are to capture memories! That's her personality at this point in her life. Embrace it. I know it's annoying but you'll laugh about it in a few years.

I do agree with this, but at 12 a kid is old enough to understand that there is a time and place for everything. After being talked too about it she should have toned it down so that there could be at least a couple pictures of her not being a goof ball. I think that is deeper problem than goofy pictures, it just sounds like she has a pretty disrespectful attitude. But, that is a topic for another thread.


OP, I'd be annoyed at first too, but years and years from now it would just become a memory to look back and laugh at.